Sagara
by ShadowLi19
Summary: A girl,ten years of age with dark blue hair,silver eyes and came to Sanosuke's chin stood there,holding the makeshift weapon.*Complete!!*
1. Chapter 1

Sagara  
  
Disclaimer:I don't own RK.  
  
A blur flew pass ten year old Sanosuke and Katsu,a stick,both ends sharpened,was pointed at the tip of their noses.  
  
A girl,ten years of age with dark blue hair,silver eyes and came to Sanosuke's chin stood there,holding the makeshift weapon.  
  
"Kira,could you use something less,um,sharp?"  
  
Sanosuke asked,his eyes crossed,the cause of focusing on the pointed needle like end.  
  
"Fine."  
  
The girl said,taking the makeshift weapon out of it's place and twirling it above Sanosuke's head.  
  
She flipped it up and caught it behind the spiky haired boy's head.  
  
"Nakira,your mother needs you in the kitchen."  
  
Nakira looked up from the brown eyes she had become so fond of in the past few years he had been with the sekihottai.  
  
"Coming."  
  
Nakira stared at her mother's body.  
  
"Mom-"  
  
She was cut off as she fell back,unconsious,the strip of red cloth clutched tightly in her hand.  
  
nineteen year old Nakira sighed at the memories,her father had finally accepted her as a member of the sekihottai,but it was to late,Shindo had sent  
  
half of his men to the village,when she had been knocked out they had dragged her father's corpse to the Sagara home.  
  
She now wore her father's jacket over a black long sleeve shirt that her mother had left her and a pair of black hamaitchi pants.  
  
Her hair was like her father's except where  
  
his hair had been over his left eye hers was over her right and her hair length was longer.  
  
She came to a halt outside the Akabeko just as her stomach let out a hardly audible growl.  
  
'Wonder if I have enough.'  
  
Quickly she counted how much she had in her head.  
  
'Nope,it's not enough.'  
  
She walked pass the restaurant.  
  
As she passed a stand a certain picture caught her attention, it was herself,Sanosuke and her father 9 year ago.  
  
"Who's the artist of this?"  
  
She asked, holding the paper up to the old man.  
  
"That one,Suonon Sukioka."  
  
'Katsu.'  
  
She thought.  
  
"You look like the girl in this picture."  
  
"That's because it is me, nine years ago."  
  
She whispered.  
  
"What's you name?"  
  
"Sagara,Nakira."  
  
"Sagara,huh?There's someone else in this town with that name, you might find him at the dojo up there."  
  
Nakira smiled and thanked the man, heading toward the Kaimia Dojo,she went back to the stand as if on second thought and bought the drawing.  
  
Yaime looked up from her stance,she turned around,completly forgetting about the 16 year old with throwing knives behind her.  
  
She yelped as one hit her in the shoulder.  
  
"Misao,could you wait, I just-"  
  
"SAGARA."  
  
Misao backed up a bit,she could have sworn the blue haired wounder had matirealized behind the black haired samurai.  
  
"Yes,Makimachi?"  
  
"Nakira?"  
  
Sanosuke asked, a bit unsure that Sozo's daughter was standing with the ninja and samurai.  
  
Both he and Aoshi had come out to see what  
  
Misao's out burst had been about.  
  
"Hey Sano."  
  
Nakira growled and snatched the bokken from the boy behind her.  
  
Sanosuke had all but dragged her black haired hair inside after noticing all the open and uncared for wounds, he had set her in a room with  
  
Megumi,for two hours with the door being guarded,she had taken an automatic  
  
disliking to the fox,she talked a bit more than she should.  
  
"Yaime,come get your brother, before I give him brain damage."  
  
The door was no longer guarded but Megumi had given her an herb that numbed her legs.  
  
Something or someone bolted through the door and hid behind her, in the open door way was a fuming Kaoru.  
  
Luckily before Sanosuke nailed her down her had introduced her to the household.  
  
She looked back, half expecting it to be Sanosuke,half knowing it was.  
  
There he was, a few bumps on his head but no blood.  
  
"You have really got to learn to your comments to yourself,San-chan."  
  
She said, thumping him on the head.  
  
She had been allowed out for lunch,Yaime had gotten a few bumps and scatches,Yahiko the same,Sanosuke almost got a black eye and she had  
  
almost gotten food poisoning,all from Kaoru's cooking.  
  
'Well at least you can cook ,Kaoru,unlike some people who can't even boil water.'  
  
Had been Kira's comment on the under cooked,salty/bitter soup.  
  
The comment had Sanosuke beet red,cooking had always been a disability for him.  
  
That's why he hardly ever paid tabs.  
  
He also lost most of his money playing dice.  
  
Nakira's head gently fell onto Sanosuke's upper arm.  
  
Th herb had worn off hours ago,she had insisted on coming gambling with him.  
  
"Looks like you should get her home,Sano."  
  
Said one of Sanosuke's friends.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
Sanosuke asked curious as to if the dojo would still be awake or not.  
  
"About 2:30."  
  
"Don't you guys have families?"  
  
Sanosuke asked,picking up the almost scrawny figure of Nakira.  
  
He left before he could get an answer.  
  
He was a bit surprised to find Saito halfway there.  
  
"Well,who's this?"  
  
"None of your business."  
  
Sanosuke snapped,tring to walk pass the wolf,but ended up with a sword through his stomach.  
  
"I can make it my business."  
  
"She's a friend."  
  
Sanosuke said, forcing himself toward the dojo,successfully this time.  
  
Kira stirred just before he fell over, halfway up the steps.  
  
"Sano."  
  
She whispered, her breath catching in her throat, she helped him up the rest of the way into the dojo and to his room.  
  
"Megumi."  
  
Kira called from outside the fox's room.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sano,he....he....he's."  
  
She gave up on trying to get it out of her throat and pulled the older girl to Sanosuke's room.  
  
"Oh my."  
  
Megumi gasped and rushed in,closing the door behind her,in Kira's face.  
  
Nakira pulled Sanosuke's jacket closer to her damp body.  
  
Megumi had forced her to take a bath to clam down two hours ago,now she sat on her futon,her purple/red kimono/hamitchi had been discarded  
  
by the door.  
  
Slowly she stood up,opened the door and disappeared down the hall,turning to Sanosuke's room.  
  
Megumi growled at the sleeping figure of Nakira.  
  
The girl had been sleeping since Yahiko found her in Sanosuke's room a week ago,it was like she was in acoma.  
  
Sanosuke had been out,too,but that was because of the infection in his stomach,for some reason Saito had ue\sed a rusty sword.  
  
If the piece that had broken off had been any smaller they wouldn't have been able to get it out.  
  
She placed a hand on the girls neck,and immediately pulled it away,Nakira was as hot as a burner set on high!  
  
Megumi stared.Kenshin had carried her to her room ,he hadn't said anything about her being warm,though it could've been hard to tell,after  
  
all,the girl had Sanosuke's jacket clutched tightly to her form,and it that was all she had on.  
  
Megumi pulled the jacket off the girl's form,surprised to see scars over her lower stomach.  
  
The nineteen year old wimpered as Megumi traced the longest scar,it took up the area from her left kidne to her right second rib.  
  
It was almost as if someone had tried to cut her open.  
  
Megumi dropped the jacket back onto the girl,who automaticly snuggled into the still warm matireal.  
  
"Auntie Mugumi?"  
  
The two little girls slilently crept into the room.  
  
"Is she ok?"  
  
Ayaime asked,tugging the doctor's sleave.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Megumi answered,picking up the two and carrying them outside.  
  
"Where's Kaoru?"  
  
"Kaoru's went to town with Kenshin."  
  
"Yahiko,can you try waking Sano?"  
  
"Sure,I can try."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Megumi said,taking the children to the garden.  
  
"Sanosuke,wak-ah!"  
  
Yahiko sceamed ,just as Sanosuke sat up,drenched in the water Yahiko had spilt falling backwards.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Megumi said she wanted to talk to you."  
  
"And."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Yahiko shugged as the nineteen year old stood up and walked out.  
  
Sanosuke stared at thew scars on Nakira's lower stomach,how many fights had she gotten into since he last saw her?  
  
"You said something about a fever before,right?"  
  
"Yes,it was somewhere between 103.3 and 103.9,I'm starting to worry,she's been sleeping wraped up in your jacket since the night you came  
  
home with that stomach wound.At first we thought she was just in a deep sleep from staying up til about 6:30 a.m. and had your jacket on  
  
becaause she needed some reassurence that you were there and ok,but it's been turning into the thought that that's why she was in your room  
  
and was cold from fever so she used the thick matireal to keep her body warm."  
  
"It's most likely to be both.When the sekihottai was alive,if I had been injured in fights that would sometimes beak out,she'd sit in my room with  
  
a piece of my clothing,such as my shirt or jacket,wrapped tightly around her,she'd usually get a fever or cold as soon as she fell asleep,strange  
  
thing is,noone cold wake her up,I'd usually walk into her room half asleep and wake her-"  
  
"Well then,try waking her up."  
  
"Only if you get out."  
  
"Fine."  
  
After Megumi stormed out of the room,Sanosuke turned to Nakira.  
  
Slowly he peeled back the sheet and slipped under.  
  
"I'll do it later,right nows my chance to get somme more sleep."  
  
With that he difted off,fully aware of the pale arms that wrapped themselves around his waist.  
  
The position the two teens found themselves in wasn't really embarressing ,considering the fact that it brought back memorys of when the  
  
sekihottai was still alive.  
  
Nakira tightened her arms around Sanosuke's waist,to deep in thought to notice Yaime,Misao and Kaoru peeking through the cracked door.  
  
Though it didn't take long to pull the two out when Misao clapmed a hand over a snickering Kaoru's mouth.  
  
"You three can come out."  
  
Nakira growled,sitting up and cutching the ends of the jacket togather about an inch under her torso.  
  
Kenshin looked up from his game with Ayame and Suzume as the front door slid open,reveling a tried Nakira in the purple/red kimono/ hamitchi  
  
with Sanosuke's jacket draped on her shoulders and a ticked Sanosuke.  
  
'Must not have gotten all the time he had wanted with her when she woke.'  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"It's almost 3:00,Nakira."  
  
Kenshin said,cutting off the 'miss' for the tomboy's sake,and his own.  
  
Sanosuke had told the to cut off the 'miss' for obvious reasons.  
  
Kenshin stood as the two seaventeen year olds and the one sixteen year old walked out.  
  
"We're going to the Akabeko soon,I bet you two are hungry,you've been out for almost a week."  
  
Kaoru said,going to the dojo to get Yahiko.  
  
"What about Megumi and Aoshi?"  
  
"Megumi's at the clinice and who knows where Aoshi is."  
  
Nakira ginned and yawned.  
  
She blushed at the sudden feeling of Sanosuke's hand rubbing her side,she looked up at him,expecting the grin she usually got,she was  
  
shocked to see him smiling.  
  
"That's rare."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"You smiling."  
  
"....."  
  
Her answer was a blush.  
  
She smirked and suggeled into his side.  
  
"She fits into his side just right."  
  
Misao said.  
  
"Who does?"  
  
"Nakira."  
  
"Oh,you know their two years apart."  
  
"You think we should-"  
  
"Yaime,no,their relationship is growing on it's own."  
  
"The hard part is ,getting them to tell eachother how they feel."  
  
"How do we know they didn't?They could've when they were"  
  
"Yaime,they were only ten."  
  
"humph."  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't have brought Sano,with his stomach injury."  
  
"You saw how Nakira was helping,and he didn't even eat that much."  
  
"She's good with little kids."  
  
Kenshin qouted,he and Sanosuke were sitting outside watching Nakira play with Ayame and Suzume.  
  
"There weren't many kids in the village,most,or all depending on how you look at it,were teens from fifteen to eighteen.I was the first one there  
  
in her age group,so........"  
  
"You two ended up being pretty close."  
  
"Yeah,and since I had left my family I'm not sure if I had any siblings or not.Well,as a few years passed Katsu joined.he took the place that  
  
Nakira would have had if Captin Sagara would've accepted her earlier.But he choose to give give her the headband the same night Shindo  
  
attacked,that night was the last time I saw her before the day she showed up here."  
  
"That night half of Shindo's men attacked the village,the knocked me out and dragged father's body back to the Sagara home.About five years  
  
later I met Makimachi,I stayed with her for awhile.I ran into the oniwaban group,stayed with them for about a year,I took off as soon as I turned  
  
seaventeen.About a year later I found myself in Kyoto,I wandered around around for awhile,I ended up in Edo.Aweek before I showed up here  
  
I was pretty close to are home village."  
  
Kenshin looked behind Sanosuke to see Nakira holding the,now sleeping,Ayame and Suzume.  
  
"And what's the story about all the scars on you?"  
  
A light blush crept onto Nakira's face as her hand dropped down to her lower stomach.  
  
"I tell you later,Kaoru's burning something."  
  
She yelped,smoke flying out the open door.  
  
"Here."  
  
She discarded the girls into Kenshin's lap as Sanosuke followed her into the kitchen. 


	2. Chapter 2

Kaoru sighed and looked over the letter once more.  
  
"Hey,guys.Gensai sent a letter saying that she was lonely and since it was the best time for the hotsprings,she thinks we should all come over."  
  
Kira looked up.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"She's Dr.Gensai's little sister."  
  
"Last time you couldn't even pass the bridge,remember Missy?"  
  
Kaoru gowled.Kira let out a small giggle.  
  
"You've been around these girls for to long Kir."  
  
"What's wrong with with that,Sano?"  
  
"You're starting act like them."  
  
"Well,wouldn't you rather be with some people your own gender every now and then Sanosuke?"  
  
He flinched,it was rare for her to call him by his name instead 'Sano'or 'San-chan',and it usually ment she was upset with him or something.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Misao asked,walking in,Yahiko not far behind.  
  
"We got a letter from Gensai saying she thinks we should come up."  
  
She cocked her head slightly.  
  
"Dr.Gensai's little sister."  
  
Yahiko said,coming around her just as Nakira went out to the porch.  
  
"What's wrong with her?"  
  
"She's mad at Sanosuke ."  
  
Kaoru frowned as Sanosuke passed her and walked out to the porch.  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
"From the looks of it you insutled me."  
  
"You know I didn't mean it like that."  
  
She bit her lip and looked up at him.  
  
"You know,your still a head taller than me."  
  
"Yeah.And your still as thin as ever."  
  
"You wanted to know about the scars,right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He sat down next to her.  
  
"I got caught in a fight between some old manslayers and imperilists.Unfortunately,they reconized the head band and jacket.Mistook me for my father.They attacked togather.That's how,the one from my kidne to my second rib was from a bandit when I was 14."  
  
"You were in Kyoto then."  
  
"Yeah,it was a few days before I ran into Misao,well the guy really wasn't a bandit,he was more of a sword collecter,called himself Cho the Sword Hunter."  
  
"That broom head?"  
  
"You know him?"  
  
"Met him in Kyoto."  
  
She sighed and leaned against him.Her hand on her bare forhead,a small scar was underneth her bangs,not that anyone could see it.  
  
"You know,you two are cute togather."  
  
The two glared up at Yaime.Who just laughed and proceeded on her way to the kitchen.  
  
"Please tell me she's not cooking."  
  
"I'm not sure if she is or not."  
  
The two quitely crept into the the dojo and went straight to Sanosuke's room.  
  
Yahiko sweetdroped as his sister came out of the kitchen,she had volenterred to cook tonight,since they'd all be leaving for Gensai's place.  
  
"Hey,you in there?"  
  
Yahiko jumped as he came back to the real world,Yaime's maroon eyes stared into her brother's brown ones.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He looked up as Sanosuke and Nakira walked in,Nakira looking a bit tried and Sanosuke just grinning.Kenshin smirked as Nakira blushed.  
  
"I was wondering where you two had wandered off to."  
  
Kaoru said,snickering.Yaime joined as well as Misao.  
  
"We're leaving tomorrow,hopefully you to can get your bag packed in the next 12 hours."  
  
Kenshin said,turning his attention to the food on his plate,they all had to admit,Yaime's cooking wasn't much better than Kaoru's.  
  
After dinner Megumi pulled Nakira outside.  
  
"What is it Megumi?"  
  
The younger girl asked,looking out into the cold crisp night.  
  
"Do you turely have feeling for Sano?"  
  
Nakira bit her lip and blushed.  
  
"Yes,I love him.More than I can put into words."  
  
"I could tell,from the moment I saw you two togather that you've always been close to him."  
  
Kira looked at her,chewing her bottem lip.  
  
"That you had known your feelings for eachother before then."  
  
"Megumi..... we did,he admitted it the night the sekihottai was killed."  
  
"And you said the same?"  
  
"Yeah.My dad could tell how we felt the first time he was hurt in a fight that broke out in the village.I had snuck into his room with his jacket around me,come to think of it,we've always had a strange bond,and I could always feel his pain."  
  
"Was it a onesided thing?"  
  
"Not excatly.You see.The same thing would pretty much happen to him if I was hurt."  
  
"That's all I wanted to know."  
  
Kira watched her as she walked back inside just as it started to rain.  
  
"You should come inside Kir."  
  
She didn't have to turn around to know who it was,the nickname was something only Sanosuke would call her by.She smiled as she stood up.  
  
"Kira,come on."  
  
Ayame said,pulling on her pant leg as Suzume ecohed but stayed with her hands fisting Sanosuke's pant leg.  
  
"Alright,alright."  
  
She said,picking the two up and walking pass Sanosuke and into the hall.  
  
"What did Megumi want to talk to you about?"  
  
"Nothing for you to worry about,Sano."  
  
She said and set the girls down in their room,the two kids had used up most of their energy packing for the trip.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yes,I'm sure."  
  
She turned around in his grasp,she placed her hand on his and kissed him.  
  
"We should start packing,they say how long we were going to stay?"  
  
"About 3 weeks."  
  
"Good,I could hardly take another full month."  
  
She grinned and pulled him down the hall.  
  
Yaime yawned and walked out into the hall,she pulled her hair into a pony tail swung her bag over her shoulder.The blue purple kimono/hamatchi's sash a bit lose.  
  
"Morning."  
  
She looked up at Nakira,who was working on trieing her sash and treing to stay awake.  
  
"Why do we have to get up before dawn?"  
  
"No clue,but whoever's gonna ry to wake Sano up's gonna have a hard time."  
  
"Kira."  
  
The nineteen year old looked down to see Ayame and Suzume.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"We had a nightmare."  
  
Yaime walked down the hall.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"We were in a grave yard looking place and the people started to come out of the ground."  
  
Ayame said,looking around the dark hallway.  
  
"Zombies?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
Nakira bit her lip,that dream was always scary.  
  
"Why don't you two go and lay down Sano?"  
  
The girls seemed to lighten up at the thought,but didn't move.  
  
"How about I come with you,I could use a few extra hours,anyway."  
  
The two nodded and pulled into the room.  
  
Kenshin smiled at the 'family' screen infront of him,the four were suggled togather.Ayame and Suzume were laying between Sanosuke and Nakira.It really did look like they were all a family,both Ayame and Suzume looked like Sanosuke,but they had that liqued glitter in their eyes that Nakira had. He crept up and shook Sanosuke.  
  
"Sano,you should wake them up,we're leaving soon."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Kenshin sighed and stood up,only Yahiko and Misao were left to wake up.  
  
"Kir,get up."  
  
He nodded to the two girls who had just woken up.  
  
"Kira,wake up."  
  
Ayame said,shaking the black haired girl.  
  
"Fine,I'm up I'm-"  
  
She yawned and stood picking up the two girls and walking out of the room.Sanosuke sighed and pulled on his jacket and snatched up the bags and his headband.  
  
Kaoru looked over at the rest of the group,Aoshi and Megumi had decided to stay at the dojo.  
  
"Sweety,you push it down any farther I won't be able to see."  
  
Suzume giggled and took the straw hat off Nakira's head and put it on her own.  
  
"Looks better on you anyway."  
  
Ayame laughed and leaned over Sanosuke's head,her brown hair stopping right above the red piece of cloth.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"We're coming up to the bridge."  
  
Kaoru annonced with a shiver.  
  
"Don't look down and you'll be fine."  
  
Kaoru looked over at Nakira.  
  
"Easy for you to say."  
  
She mumbeled and closed her eyes as Yahiko pushed her onto the rickity bridge,she managed to make it over before passing out. Nakira snickered and walked across,the little girl still on her shoulders.Sanosuke followed along with Yaime,Yahiko,Misao,and Kenshin.  
  
"Kira,You think you could slow down???"  
  
"Sorry Sano."  
  
She said,falling instep with him.  
  
Kaoru sighed and sunk deeper into the hot water.  
  
"First day of winter's coming up."  
  
"Kaoru,does it matter?"  
  
Nakira snickered at the two,Gensai had all of them working on the house.  
  
"Gensai-san,do you know who Ayame and Suzume's parents were?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?"  
  
"It's been bugging me for awhile,I'mean,I've never heard Dr.Gensai say anything about a daughter or son."  
  
"To tell you infront of the girls would be painful,so I'll tell you later."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"So,what's the story behind the girl's parents?"  
  
"Ayame and Suzume are not blood related,as my brother said,a girl about seventeen dropped them off on his doorsteap when Suzume was a new born."  
  
"What did she look like?"  
  
Sanosuke asked,this really caught his attention.  
  
"We don't know,she left a note,all it said was their names,her age,and that she want my brother to treat her children like they were his own grandchildren."  
  
Nakira looked down,her teeth digging into the fleash of her bottem lip.  
  
"Please,don't tell them this,Ayame had little memory of her mother at the age of two."  
  
"We wont."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Gensai stood and retreated to her room.  
  
"Sano."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You remember when we met up in Kyoto five years ago?"  
  
"Yeah,hard to forget that."  
  
A drop of blood hit the wooden floor as she looked up at him.  
  
"You remember how I told you I was pregnet??" 


	3. Chapter 3

"Their ours."  
  
Sanosuke's eyes widened as he took in the information.  
  
"We were only fifteen..."  
  
"The people in the village that I was staying in when I gave brith to Ayame said that I was to young to have her,after Suzume I had no other choice but to give them up."  
  
"So I'm..."  
  
"Yeah,there was a clue,the fact that they look so much like you.I was afraid to ask Dr.Gensai."  
  
"Can we tel-"  
  
"Yes,we can tell them when we're on the way back to the dojo."  
  
"Good,come on."  
  
He pulled her up and headed straight for their room.  
  
"That's what they said?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
Kenshin sighed and fell back down onto the futon.He eyes never leaving Kaoru.  
  
"So they've seen eachother before she showed up at the dojo."  
  
"And they kept this from us."  
  
"Well,Sano didn't know and Kira wasn't really sure."  
  
"Might as well drop it for tonight."  
  
Yahiko looked up as the door to the room was slid open,revaling Misao.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Ayame and Suzume aren't related to the Gensai's by blood,Sanosuke and Nakira are their parents."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Yahko,this is serious,their names are Ayame Sagara and Suzume Sagara,not Ayame Gensai and Suzume Gensai."  
  
"Once again,so?It was obvious they were related."  
  
Nakira blinked the sleep from her eyes as she felt a sudden weight on her stomach,besides Sanosuke's head that is.  
  
"Ayame,what are you doing up?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep.You know,you look like someone I saw when I was little."  
  
"Ayame,where's your brithmark?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
"It should be right here."  
  
She touched the girl's shoulderblade.  
  
"How-"  
  
Nakira smiled.  
  
"You'll find out."  
  
At that momet Sanosuke stirred,knowing he wasn't the only one on Kira's stomach.  
  
"Squirt,what are you doing in here?"  
  
"Sano,she couldn't sleep."  
  
"She can stay in here,as long as she moves."  
  
Ayame smiled and curled up into Kira's side  
  
Megumi sighed and locked the door to the clinic,Aoshi stood behind her,seemingly asleep on his feet.  
  
"Wake up."  
  
"I'm awake."  
  
He yawned and followed her to the dojo,they found Dr.Gensai waiting outside the gate.  
  
"Dr.Gensai,what is it?"  
  
"You'll find out when we get inside."  
  
Megumi quickly unlocked the gate and urged the old man inside.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"You should know today's Suzume's birth day."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You know when you pointed out that the girls sorta looked like Sano."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ayame and Suzume arn't my grandchildren.Their last name's Sagara."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He means that the two kids were dropped off on his doorsteap when Suzume was a new born."  
  
"Thank you for pointing that out.Do you know who their parents are?"  
  
"I said Sagara,it's Nakira and Sanosuke." 


	4. Chapter 4

Nakira sighed and looked back over the bridge,three weeks wasn't very long,and tomorrow was the first day of winter,too. She bit her lip and looked over at Sanosuke.He was having a pretty hard time with both Ayame and Suzume hanging off of him.They had heard the news a bit earlier than the two wanted from a certain maroon eyed female.  
  
"Hey,you in there?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I guess I was right when I said I bet you two had addmitted your feelings earlier."  
  
"Is your zanbato still in working condtion?"  
  
"Yeah wh-"  
  
Yaime took off like a bullet when she saw the look on the older girl's face,Yahiko snorted as his sister passed the rest of the group.  
  
"You think she knows her way back?"  
  
"No clue."  
  
Both Misao and Yahiko brust into laughter.  
  
Megumi scowled and looked down at the two teenagers and the old man.  
  
"I can't belive this,you didn't even have enough sence to tell the two of them,did you?"  
  
She asked,looking at the black haired girl.  
  
"Megumi,calm down.I mean,what would you do if you had a kid at the age of fifteen and another one at the age of seventeen?"  
  
Sanosuke back up towards the wall a bit at the glint of red in Nakira's eyes.  
  
"I know for a fact that I wouldn't leave them with a stranger."  
  
The silver eyed girl lowered her head at that.  
  
"What could you have been thinking?"  
  
Nakira brought her head back up,silver eyes completly red,Sanosuke spoke up while snatching the girl out of midpounce.  
  
"We both knew what would happen,especlily when we met back up in Osaka."  
  
He looked over at the door as it slid open,Ayame stood the.If you looked closely you could make out a glint of red in her nomally liquid brown eyes.  
  
"What happened,where's Suzame?"  
  
Misao walked up behind the girl,her green eyes looking around the room for something.  
  
"We can't find her."  
  
Misao said,chewing her lower lip.Nakira bit her lip and bolted out the the door,Sanosuke following her.  
  
"Kir wha-"  
  
"Someone was here."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Shindo."  
  
His breath caught.  
  
"We don't even know where he is,we'll go out in groups,see if anyone can find something."  
  
He said,catching her around the waist before she could take off again.  
  
"We will find her."  
  
He asured,kissing her neck and bringing her back inside.  
  
Soon enough they were spilt into groups that contained;  
  
1.Kenshin and Kaoru  
  
2.Misao and Yahiko  
  
3.Yaime(on her own)  
  
4. Megumi and Aoshi  
  
5.Sanosuke,Nakira and Ayame  
  
Gensai had stayed at the dojo.  
  
Yaime spun around as something moved behind her,golden eyes were excally what her maroon ones found.  
  
"Saito."  
  
She sighed and looked at the wolf.  
  
"What are you doing out here?"  
  
"ThatguyShindotookSuzumeandwe'realloutlookingforhim."  
  
"A bit slower."  
  
She sweetdropped.  
  
"That guy Shindo took Suzume and we're all out looking for her."  
  
"Your alone?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I'll come with you,Ryu,but it's only because you shouldn't be out here all alone."  
  
He said,the looked on her face would be enough to send even Shishio's emotionless minon crazy.She smiled,that had been the first thing he called her because of her eye color,though at times it would be Dragon.  
  
"I......... heard what happened between you and your wife."  
  
He lit a ciggeret. The woman had gotten drunk and slept with some guy,ended up pregnet,which resaulted in a devorce.  
  
"Did you no-"  
  
"Look!"  
  
She shouted,pointing at the white haired man walking into an apartment.  
  
"That's him."  
  
He had to grab her sleave so she wouldn't run to the apartment and do something stuipd.She bit her lip at the sounds of a child crying.  
  
"We have to tell the others."  
  
She wispered.  
  
"Why's he after her,anyway?"  
  
"New diss-oh I'll tell you on the way,come on."  
  
She said,pulling his arm, he followed.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"She's Sanosuke and Nakira's daughter."  
  
"Nakira?"  
  
"Uh."  
  
"Is she the black haired girl that was him?"  
  
"Yeah,she the mother to both Ayame and Suzume."  
  
"I thought they looked like him.But why excally is Shindo after the girl?"  
  
"It's not Suzume he's after,it's both Sano and Nakira.From what I heard Nakira survived a blow to the head one of his men gave her."  
  
"What's her last name?"  
  
"Sagara,she's Sozo's daughter."  
  
Yaime looked foward as she heard Nakira's voice.  
  
"We found him!"  
  
The two looked over at her and Saito.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"At an apartment not far."  
  
Nakira took off,Sanosuke followed.  
  
"Ayame?"  
  
The brown haired girl looked up.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"We should sta-"  
  
"No,we're going to be there if the guy has partners there."  
  
Saito sighed and followed her as she picked up the girl and ran back the way they had come. 


	5. Chapter 5

Suzume looked up at the white haired man who had taken her from the Kamiya dojo,she knew better than to ask childish questions at this time,the sound of a chain ratling came from outside,the man looked out the door and stepped out a minute after grabbing his weapon,she could hear her mother's voice outside.  
  
Nakira growled,scyth in hand.Shindo just happened to be in the the only apartment building that was abandoned.  
  
"Sano,be careful,we don't know what might happen."  
  
He nodded a second before Shindo came out,sword in hand. Her eyes flashed a bloody red as she shot forward and swung,her chain wrapping around the swords blade as he unsheathed it, with a yank it was flying across the street. She let her weapon go with it.She smirked and back up enough to be side to side with Sanosuke.  
  
"You haven't changed a bit."  
  
Shindo hissed,holding the hand the weapon had be forcefully yanked from. The two just shot forward and hit him,it lasted for about 10 minutes until he punched Nakira in the stomach, causing her to back out, which cause Sanosuke to turn his attention to her, with the distraction Shindo pulled out a hand gun and shot.  
  
"Sano."  
  
Her eyes went dull,almost lifeless as he hit the ground,the bullet missing anything fatle by about half an inch. The wind picked up the moment Nakira shot forward,pulling a dagger out from her gi and stabbing him through the chest, hitting the center on his heart. It was at that time the trio appeared and Suzume slowly walked out of the door. Nakira just sat there,Sanosuke's head in her lap as the pools of blood formed underneth both bodys.  
  
"We have to get him to Megumi or Gensai."  
  
Yaime said,picking up Suzume.Nakira nodded as Saito picked up Sano and headed toward the dojo. 


	6. Chapter 6

Megumi chewed on her bottem lip as she watched Nakira.  
  
"You'll have to eat at some point."  
  
Nakira just sat there,staring at the futon Sanosuke was on,her eyes dull as if it had been her that had been shot and almost killed from blood loss.She hadn't moved from that spot since they had brought him there.Megumi had given her a look over and she had a slightly deep cut where he had been shot but no other wounds.Each day she got paler and paler,too.Not even Ayame and Suzume could get her to snap out of it. At that moment sobs sounded outside the room,Sanosuke stirred and Nakira looked up.  
  
"Suzume."  
  
They both wispered.Megumi opened the door,Suzume stood there,holding her arm and crying.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Nakira asked,life back in her silver eyes and color returning.Megumi just stared as the two moved like mirror images.Suzume moved toward them,arm still clutched tightly.  
  
"Let me see."  
  
Megumi said,trying to touch the child but she just yanked away.  
  
"Suzume."  
  
Suzume moved her hand from her arm,she had a gash on her forearm.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I was chasing Ayame and"  
  
She paused for a sob.  
  
"I tripped and fell."  
  
"We should clean that."  
  
The girl sniffed and nodded and followed Megumi to her room. Nakira smiled as Sanosuke's arms encricled her and he nuzzled her neck.  
  
"Lunch is ready."  
  
Yaime said,opening the door and snickered.  
  
"You two should see yoursleves."  
  
Yaime said and skipped down the hall. Sanosuke grinned and kiss her cheek.  
  
"You think we should tell them your-"  
  
"No,and how did you know that?"  
  
"Come on,you'd think I'd know when you time of the month is,and your usually at my neck,which you haven't lately."  
  
She blushed.True she hadn't been at his neck when she was pregnet with Ayame and her time swung around,but..........  
  
"You tell,Sano,and you can bet that we won't be having anymore kids."  
  
He pouted.  
  
"I won't."  
  
The two stood up and walked to the front yard,set on eating something other that Yaime's cooking.  
  
Yaime grinned as she watched the four in the front yard.She looked over at Saito.He had been staying with them since that night.The words that Nakira had said to her rang through her head 'They say...it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.' She looked over at Aoshi and Megumi 'talking'.Yahiko was sitting by the door.Kaoru and Kenshin had dissappeared into his room,nobody dared to go in there.Misao had gone back to Kyoto saying something about 'Checking up on Gramps'. She sighed and jumped at the feeling of a hand on hers,she looked up at Saito,emotionless as usual,but there seemed to be a glint in his eyes.She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.She felt the hand move and an arm wrap around her waist as well as a head ontop of her own.  
  
Megumi laughed at the sight infront of her.  
  
"Looks like he's over the other one."  
  
"Aoshi."  
  
She said,almost sounding like she was scolding him.He just smirked.  
  
"Sano,look."  
  
Kira said,pointing at the two on the porch.  
  
"Oh,great."  
  
Sanosuke said,chuckling.  
  
"Yahiko should watch it,he might be an uncle sooner than he thinks."  
  
He was answered by being hit on the head by a rock.  
  
"He wouldn't go into a relationship any faster than she would,and he diffanitly wouldn't get her pregent before she's the right age,Sanosuke."  
  
He winced,for three reasons,1-his head hurt,2-She was most likely upset and 3-He knew just what she was talking about.  
  
"But still,he's getting sof-"  
  
He was hit in the head with another rock.  
  
"Everyone gets soft sooner or later Sano."  
  
He bit down on his tounge,he had even gone soft when she showed up,though it didn't show til that night when she insisted on coming with him.When he locked her in a room was out of sherr worry,......and the fact that she had a history of running out of rooms she had been stuck in. He smiled down at Suzume,she had a bandage around her arm. She had let down her pig tails and her hair fell a bit pass her shoulders.It looked pretty simaler to when Nakira had worn her hair down,just growing out of the habbit of always putting it up in and ponytail. He picked her up as she yawned.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"Around seven."  
  
Nakira said and picked up Ayame .  
  
"You two should get some sleep."  
  
She said,standing up and carrying the girl inside,Sano close behind.  
  
Nakira grinned and pulled him to 'their' room,she pulled him down into a kiss,he wraped his arms around her as she wraped her arms around his neck,untieing the red bandana and taking it away from his head,he fiddled around with the knot before taking hers off. She frowned as he pulled away and the door opened.  
  
"Yaime,what is it?"  
  
The girl quivered before falling to the floor.  
  
"Yaime?"  
  
"Sorry,couldn't help it."  
  
She said,standing up and laughing.Nakira made a fist and the girl walked out. Sanosuke dipped his head down and caught her in another kiss.  
  
Nakira shot up and,on instinct,felt around for Sanosuke.  
  
"S-Sano?"  
  
She looked around,his clothes were gone as well as his headband.Chewing on her bottem lip,she snatched up her clothes and sliped into them,fiddling around with her sash before pulling on her shoes and running out the door.  
  
"Has anyone seen Sano?"  
  
She asked as soon as she reached the kitchen.Megumi frowned and shook her head,Kaoru did the same.  
  
"He went out to town with Kenshin,they said they'd be back soon."  
  
She spun around.  
  
"Thanks Yaime.That's all I wanted to know."  
  
She said,smiling and walking toward the girl's room.  
  
"It's not like him to get up early."  
  
She wispered and opened the door,surprised to see Yahiko tied up and the girls holding paint brushes and ink.She laughed and took the two outside,leaving Yahiko to get lose on his own.  
  
Around three o'clock Kenshin and Sanosuke returned.  
  
"Were bac-"  
  
He was cut off by Nakira.  
  
"Do you even think things through before doing them?"  
  
He blinked and looked in the eye.  
  
"Most of the time."  
  
She sweetdropped as he grinned.  
  
"Sa-"  
  
He place a finger on her lips and smiled. She sighed and threw her arms around his neck,pulling him down so she could say something straight into his ear.  
  
"I love you,Sano."  
  
"And I love you,Kir."  
  
She smiled and kissed him,pulling apart when Yahiko cleared his throat.Sanosuke laughed at the swrily paint marks on his face.  
  
Megumi sighed,Suzume had,once again,hurt herself,ending up with a bloody scrape.  
  
"How did you do this again?"  
  
"I fell on steps and -"  
  
"I get it."  
  
She said,closing the door as she walked out. 


	7. Chapter 7

Sunset came around so quickly,the Kenshin gumi wasn't expecting it. As the others went inside Sanosuke pulled Nakira to him as it begain to rain.  
  
"Sano."  
  
She said and lay her head on his shoulder,her hands locked togather behind his neck.  
  
"We should go in."  
  
He said,smiling.She smiled back and went in with him.  
  
"Kir,Kira,wake up."  
  
She cracked an eye open,it was still dark out.  
  
"What is it Sano?"  
  
He grinned and helped her up,pulling her outside and,what she could only guess,up a hill. He pulled her into his lap as they sat down at the top.  
  
"Sano?"  
  
"Sshhh."  
  
Her silver eyes widened as the sun begain to rise over the town.Her breath caught.  
  
"Familer,ain't it?"  
  
She nodded,it was just like the time she had gone with the sekkihottai and he had brought her up to a hill that saw over the whole town. She slumped against him,eyes half lidded as the rays from the sun shined over half the city. Her eyes widened once again as she felt a cold band slip onto her finger.She looked down,a gold band was on her left ring finger.  
  
"Sano...."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
She turned around and smiled,tears flowing down her cheeks.She brushed her lips against his and a silently nodded.He smiled and stood up,catching her before she fell and set her down on her feet.The nod had been her answer to the unasked quetion.He nipped at her neck before they started walking back to the dojo.  
  
"Ohayo."  
  
Kenshin greeted them as they walked up.He grinned as the glittlerish light that bounced off the ring caught his attention.  
  
"Or should I say congradulations?"  
  
The two smirked and walked pass him.  
  
Megumi sighed,both the nineteen year olds had dissappeared for most of the day.  
  
"Yahiko,get back here."  
  
"No way,Ugly."  
  
She crossed her arms,Kenshin had said Sanosuke had asked Nakira.She sighed as the sun begain to set.  
  
Sanosuke grinned as both he and Nakira walked back to his room.  
  
"Tommorrow's the first day of Winter."  
  
He said to himself.And grinned at her as they entered the room.  
  
"Sano,I wanna get some sleep,alright?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
She sighed at the look on his face.  
  
"I swear your part squrriel."  
  
He smirked and took off his jacket,just to see her snatch it and wrap it around herself.She truned around as she caught him looking down the front.  
  
"I swear,ne of these days Sano,one of these days."  
  
He just continued to smirk as she slipped under the covers.  
  
Sanosuke sighed as he,once again,pushed Yahiko away from him.  
  
"So,why isn't Nakira up yet?"  
  
"Who said I wasn't?"  
  
The two looked up to see a now blue haired Nakira.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your hairs blue."  
  
"It does that."  
  
"Oh." 


	8. Chapter 8

The Kenshin gumi sat outside a room,screams emitted from inside. They stopped a few minutes before the door slid open,Sanosuke walked out,his left hand bandaged and in his other arm he held a bundle of blankets.  
  
"What is it Sano??"  
  
Kaoru asked,leaning forward.  
  
"A girl."  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
"Kiya."  
  
He groaned and truned around heading back into the room.Megumi slid the door shut behind him as she came out.  
  
"Sano?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Let me see her."  
  
He nodded and slid down beside her,handing the bundle to her. She smile and sat up the best she could,eventully Sano moved behind her.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
She wispered,not looking up from the newborn's silver eyes. She winced.  
  
"Man,she's got teeth already."  
  
Sano smiled and kissed her forhead.  
  
"You sure you've done this before?"  
  
She nodded and closed her eyes,nodding off before he could say anything else. 


End file.
